Hey Friends,
In this world, where 5G is becoming a reality, all of us want to achieve success in our respective lives at an equally fast pace. In a way, we start acting as a ‘Program Hopers‘ to find a quick fix for success in our personal and professional space. So let me tell you what are program hoppers :-
Program hoppers are those who keep on changing their goal post frequently to find instant success. The word ‘hopping’ essentially means :- jumping from one regimen to another; displaying an inability to commit to a plan for its entire duration
The program hopers devour books and blog posts, chasing the perfect method, read biographies and are constantly in search of a perfect system. They will try a new thing for a week or two–get excited to change their life–for good this time. And after a few trials will dump it away to finds a quicker route.
After reading the countless books, blogs and attending seminars, they somehow come to believe that “ there are hacks for everything and you have to just find the right one”.
Ironically, life always does not work this way. There is nothing wrong with experimenting, but the issue is less of seeking knowledge and more of a program hoping.__ Joe Sehrawat
What is Program Hoping :
In program hopping, instead of staying with one plan all the way through to the end, you get distracted by another shiny thing and change course. Programs need to be run all the way through to see the results. By switching to something else halfway through, you’re putting in all the work but not sticking around long enough to realize the gains.
The Danger of Knowledge Seeking to justify program hoping:
Learning new things certainly bring excitement. I sincerely encourage it. But not all information is tailored for your context. The overwhelming majority of information available is not for you. A beginner home cook doesn’t need to know the difference between a Santoku knife ( which I am using to cook for myself ) and a Chef knife. But we want to see patterns, we want that little hack, that provide an easier solution.
“Human beings are pattern-seeking species. It’s part of our DNA. That’s why conspiracy theories and gods are so popular on earth : we always look for the wider, bigger explanations for things.” — Adrian McKinty, The Cold Cold Ground
Most of all, we don’t want to be bored. Unfortunately, the information we get is boring. The advanced and new stuff appeals us and it look more sexy to us. We want to shoot guns but would not prefer to carry the load of bullets. Firing bullet is fun but carrying bullet becomes a boring activity:
“Carrying bullets doesn’t make for good stories or movie scenes. Shooting them does…They’re inseparable pairs. The amazing stuff doesn’t work without the boring stuff.” – Morgan Housel
So we latch on to details and make convoluted plans, thinking we’re getting ahead, being smart. Actually, we’re wasting our time. The best systems, the newest tricks, the latest research, none of it matters without the strong fundamentals. The outright danger of knowledge seeking are :
- Increased complexity means there are more failure modes.
- Reading about the latest cutting-edge research makes you doubt your current plan.
- Paralysis analysis: you can’t pick which program or method is best so you eventually end up doing nothing.
- Program hopping: you switch between plans haphazardly, unmethodicaly.
I have played golf at a competitive level for a decade and I can say with certainty that “If your fundamentals are not solid you’re wasting your time learning advanced tactics and strategy”.
Fundamentals are going to be boring. Doing same thing again and again is certainly boring and mind forces us to seek something new stuff. But the consistency and progression will only come, if we master the boring fundamentals.
This lesson is applicable in every sphere of your life, be it professional or personal. Do remember that consistent training make things easier and the advanced stuff would follow later.
If we let our fundamentals slip away , we will get into a downward spiral mode.
Suddenly, we start asking :- ‘why I am not progressing ? It must be because I didn’t have the right program for me!.
And, we start resorting to program hopping again, start searching another hack, not sticking with anything, just seeking and searching for the magic bullet’.
Simply, become a Node Optimizer & Ditch the Programme Hopping tendencies for reliable success.
___ Joe Sehrawat
Node Optimisers :
On the other hand, Node Optimisers are those who instead of resorting to program hoping they choose to optimize the nodes. These nodes are the area of concerns which are holding the key to a forward momentum of your work.
Node Optimizers do not abandon the existing one for the sake of newer and quicker hack. Rather they work on their nodes and optimize them with their meaningful interventions from theme to time. They are well aware that success is something which is often comes slowly and invariably test the perseverance of the successor through various complexities. Hence , they identify certain nodes ( area of concern ) and work on them.
Node Optimisers focus on putting the fundamentals in place and keep on optimising the vital nodes while moving forward at every stage . They keep an unwavering faith not only in their ability but also in the process and their work ethics. The instant examples which comes to my mind are, Steve Jobs, Elon Musk etc. These guys stayed with their boring fundamentals long enough to create an unique work and place for themselves in the history.
My Take on Finding Success :
The magic happens only when you start believing in your work. All the successful coaches in the world are Node Optimizers, they know the importance of boring fundamentals very – very well. The old photocopied program sheets are not something magical in itself. They just guide the athletes to stay away from the distractions. It help them to buy enough enough time until, they start believing in the process.
The key is not to keep on hoping from one programme to another but to resist the temptation of switching too quickly. Instead find your nodes and optimize them for your programme. It’s not about the systems, it’s about the boring fundamentals. __ Joe Sehrawat
Take Care
JOE
Get in touch… — JOE’s LIFE SKILLS LAB/Joe Sehrawat
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